>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." >> this is "gmt" on "bbc world

news." barack obama and the the combat missions in iraq, saying it was time to sort out challenges at home. tough words on how the cost of war hurt the american economy. >> we spent $1 trillion on by bg overseas, shortchanging investment in our own people and contributing to record deficits. >> the sweet taste election victory, the journey of tony blair, including the bitter memories. >> whether i regret the decision, you cannot, you have to take responsibility but you cannot regret the decision. >> the breakdown of palestinian leaders threatened by the murder

of israeli settlers. hello, welcome to "gmt." years ago, when george bush invaded iraq, he said it would unlocked the middle east peace process. now it is up to barack obama, the man that opposed that war, to prove the point. he declared an end to combat operations in iraq and tomorrow, thursday, he will oversee direct talks between israelis and palestinians for the first time in years. laura? >> barack obama campaign to end what he called a rash more back in 2002, even before it started. last night, 7.5 years from the

same tack, barack obama said that combat operations were drawing to a close. steve has the details. >> iraq was not his fight, he called it a dumb more. after seven years, five months, and 13 days, it fell to barack obama -- rod obama to tell america that it was over. >> tonight i am announcing that operation iraqi freedom is over. the iraqi people now have lead response ability for the security of their country. >> he hopes that that will cheer a war-weary nation counting the cost. three-quarters of $1 trillion, thousands of american lives. >> we believe that out of the ashes of war, a new beginning to be born in this cradle of

civilization. through this remarkable chapter in history of united states and iraq, we have met our responsibilities. now it is time to turn the page. >> what a page. from the flawed intelligence on the weapons program, to a top gun texan declaring premature victory, barack obama praised the patriotism of george bush, indirectly his troops surge, widely credited with turning the war around. president said that the pullout would allow them to go on the offense against al qaeda in afghanistan and tackle unemployment at home. >> we must tackle the challenges at home with as much energy, grit, and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform that serve the broad. they have met every test that they faced, and now it is our

turn. >> what about iraq? insurgents have reemerged due to the stalemate. mr. obama said that the country urgently needed an inclusive government, but it is now out of his hands. >> the white house is hoping that with midterm elections just two months away, americans will give the democrats credit for keeping the campaign promise. the central occupation of the people here is not really iraq, but the sluggish economy. but the way that he seemed to link the cost of the war with economic woes seemed to give him in excuse of where america is at the moment. >> talking about this historic moment, he also addressed what people were really concerned about.

even though 4400 americans have died, the central concern is not a back or afghanistan, it is the fact that they're having trouble paying their mortgages. a rather inelegant link, going from this historic moment to the state of the economy, trying to say that the huge cost, now that it will be coming down, he can try to rebuild at home. this is the link at the white house is hoping that voters will make. there are hoping against hope that the voters will give them credit for what they've done. republicans are critical of the president, saying that he did not give george bush enough credit in that speech for the troop surge that the president benefited from. >> now it is over to david for the rest of the day's headlines. >> more on iraq, tony blair says

in his newly released fed more that he has no regrets in his role in the invasion of the country, but he admitted that he did not anticipate what he described as the nightmare that unfolded after the overthrow. he spoke his mind about the success of gold and brown, who he said he knew would fail as a leader. he has been named the wonder from down under, the australian economic growth has peaked and the gloomy forecast, climbing 1.2% in the second quarter. despite good economic news, political uncertainty continues to dampen spirits. >> the politics of australia might be deadlocked, but the economy keeps on growing, one of the reasons that the markets

remain stable during this national uncertainty. the future makeup of the government does remain in doubt. on track for 20 consecutive years of economic growth. including a sharp increase in coal exports, explaining the sharp turnaround in the australian trade position after 11 consecutive months of a balance of trade deficits, a row and made witnessed -- april and may witnessed record resurgence is. one economist said that the figures had blitzed expectations. >> immigrants escape from a detention center in northern australia, protesting about their treatment. they held banners, included a

was a message that they needed protection. the protest was bleak -- peaceful and they were placed in police custody after their seven hour road sign demonstration. a preliminary review of the rape charges against the wikileaks founder has been reopened the decided to carry on investigating the charges of molestation, and he said that the case was an attempt to smear his web site after thousands of secret u.s. military files were published. crowds protest against rising prices, blocking roads with burning tires, throwing stones at the police, who responded by firing into the air.

protesting the recent rises in fuel, cement, and central foods. the two men from yemen held at an amsterdam airport were unlikely to be involved in, allowed onto a united airlines their flame in chicago. u.s. investigators believe that they did not even know each other and have cautioned against jumping to any conclusions. george? back you. >> you are watching gm t. as american forces finished their combat duties in iraq, one of the main actors in the invasion of myths that he failed to anticipate what would happen after the overthrow of saddam hussein. in his memoirs, tony blair speaks his mind about international and domestic

politics. the bbc has secured the first television interview ahead of the -- the book launch. >> three years since tony blair left downing street, still it is the war in iraq that casts a long shadow over his tenure. this is a situation that he says he does not regret, but he admits he did not foresee the nightmare that would on fold and the anguish and tears it would bring. >> how can you not feel sorry about people who have died? you'd be in human. but if i regret the decision -- i cannot regret the decision. if i can say that to you, i would not be saying but i think. >> tony blair remains very much a fan of intervention in the

middle east if necessary. we have got to be pared to confront them, if necessary by a military. if they continue to develop nuclear weapons, they need to get that message loud and clear. >> his book revolves around the relationship with gold -- gordon brown, portraying him as it only. friends of ford and brown have hit back, arguing that the book is only giving a one-sided account of the relationship. it is clear that tony blair feels he has beaten the tongue of the relationship for far too long. >> even though towards the end, frankly, it was hard going on impossible, for in large part of the time in government he was an immense source of strength.

>> one revelation that will surprise many is the admission that he used alcohol as it fought to cope with the stresses and strains of the job. publishers will hope that in sites like that make his book a best seller across the world. >> this is "gmt." coming up, ready to talk? president obama prepares to meet israeli and palestinian leaders at the white house. the u.n. has raised the alarm over children caught in the floods in pakistan. chris morris traveled to a u.n. supported relief camp in southern pakistan. >> line into the flood zone, the

head of the u.n. children's fund. how many children are suffering down there? when can they go back to school? at a relief camp on the ground, people are waiting patiently for supplies as visitors from the united nations arrived, a school that has and taken over by the emergency relief effort. >> from the himalayas to the sea, thousands of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. even places that have survived have served as temporary relief camps. there are few places in the flood zone where the children can go to school. >> inside there is one room where the children can be themselves, playing games or drawing pictures about what they have just been through. >> this is my house, washed away by the flood, so we went to stay with my aunt. >> alongside these child families faces that help with the trauma, there is an urgent,

long term need to improve upon what has been lost in the floods. >> we need to rebuild the education system and do it in a way that is friendly and not just children, but especially girls, creating schools with sanitation and water facilities to help fight diseases. will do their learning in the open. these in another camp in the south are some of the lucky ones. many still have nothing. >> this is "gmt." the main headlines -- president obama declares a formal end to the american combat mission in iraq, saying that the u.s. is no prosperity.

tony blair, the former british prime minister tells the bbc that he has no regrets about going to war in iraq, although he did not anticipate the nightmare that unfolded. president barack obama will be hosting the israeli and palestinian leaders for dinner at the white house on friday evening. it is the first time that mahmoud abbas and benjamin netanyahu would have been in the same room in almost one year. our state department correspondent reports on the chances of success. >> frenzied activity is already under way in washington. preparations for the long- awaited direct talks between israelis and palestinians. >> as we move forward, it is important that actions on all sides hope to advance the

effort, not hinder it. there have been difficulties in the past, there will be difficulties to come. >> there have been some successes in the past, like this handshake on the wife of law -- white house lawn in 1993. there have also been false starts, and george bush raising hope that was too little, too late. barack obama was the first american president to retract on this intractable conflict in the last year in office. one thing he has got going for him, the obstacles are many. palestinians are divided, the president is weak. violence could erupt again. benjamin netanyahu's right wing coalition will resist concessions.

for months, but george mitchell tried to reach -- bridge the gap between the sides. in the end there was no breakthrough, just a skillful orchestration. >> no one expects the talks in washington this week to produce something tangible. these meetings are designed to launch a protest and create some momentum. american officials insist that they have a plan beyond that. for the obama administration, this is something of a gamble. >> let's get a sense of the expectation on the ground, enjoying health correspondent who is in the west bank for us now. -- joining our correspondent who is in the west bank right now. >> on a typically when the hilltop, this is a jewish settlement that is home to 7000

people and is generally regarded as palestinian land in the west bank. we have a local radio host from the settlement. what about last night and the killers -- killings in the settlements? >> we are all one people, one nation called israel. it was a horrible thing, the murder of women and children, but the terrorists themselves are victims of a sadistic leadership, attempting to take normal people and brainwash them. we are one people in the middle east, there are people that are living in hate. >> mahmoud abbas was talking

with israeli leaders, how long will you let them go in order to achieve peace with palestinians? >> the middle east is like a jail. that first night in jail you have got to prove yourself to be strong for your dog me. to make it in the middle east, to give up our land does not make any sense, we are willing to give it up for peace. no one understands that language, but there is a strong arab and muslim region and i believe by an air of self- determination. -- i believe in era of self- determination. >> given what you have said, the think that a peace deal will be reached within a year?

>> i think that 40 years of failed policy is indicative of what is going to happen here. it will not make sense to give up our land and allow pro-jihad forces to take over, and i am certain that there will be a new direction in the middle east that will have a liberalizing force. >> those are your opinions, there they are. something that they will succeed, back you. >> in the current economic climate, finding a new job is tough. funny of people to choose from from employers. especially hard if you are an immigrant. the national unemployment rate is at 10%. a new french film has lifted the lid of house of people from immigrant backgrounds are getting around the problem. from paris, here is our

correspondent, christian frazier. >> meet the note, and italian car salesman. successful, on the cusp of promotion, soon to be married. except his life is a lie. he was born and brought up as a french algerian. >> to have a normal life, he had to change his name. this is the reality, he is arabic. >> even the made -- the man that played the dino shortened his name and plenty of others have been forced into a difficult choice. he came to france after the

second world war, how many times have you sent this out? >> 100. >> how many responses? >> no interviews. >> no positive feedback for your degree? extraordinary. >> she suspects that it is her arabic name, so she will change it. >> it is not just a name that they are looking at, there's also evidence that employers are looking at the host:. if you were from this suburb, you might be known in paris as the 93, you might be lucky if your cb gets a second look. if you live here in central paris, your obligation --

application is likely to get a much more favorable response. let this writer has written about racism in the workplace and he understands why people feel the need to change their name. >> if you want a way out, you have to be very good, excellent. >> a few companies like this transport group are now filing the anonymous, where candidates are no longer required to provide names or addresses. >> you to the encouraging to those that apply. in the immigration of these themes in france at the moment. the movie is not accusing france of being racist, but it is funding out how complicated it can be to integrate into french

society. for some, this is a frustrating reality. >> if you have any views on that story or any of the others we have been covering today, we would love to hear from you. we have our own facebook page, as well as updates from us. you will also find links to the bbc world news website, where there are features an analysis. you can also us on twitter. before we go, to look ahead to the world news america. we will have the first-person account of what life is like for the daughter of a hit man. that is open to both bbc world news america."

let me give you a reminder of our top story, president obama has tailed the end of u.s. combat operations in iraq, saying that the u.s. has a huge price to put. he said that his country's most urgent task was to restore the economy, as we were told live from washington just a few moments ago. that is all for this edition "gmt." stay with us on "bbc world news ," there is plenty more to come. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold. get the top stories from around the globe and click to play video reports.

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>> ming: you know, o